Iranian Americans in Maryland Unite to Support Jamie Raskin for U.S. Congress
WASHINGTON – On July 22, 2016, Iranian Americans from the Washington metropolitan area gathered to support state Sen. Jamie Raskin’s campaign for U.S. Congress. The event was organized by and held at the home of Houri Khalilian and Serge Sira in Potomac, Md.
Raskin (D-MD) is a three-term state senator in Maryland’s 20th district, the Majority Whip of the Maryland Senate, and a dynamic leader in Annapolis who has been at the center of the breakthrough policy changes Maryland has experienced over the last decade. Also a professor of constitutional law at American University’s Washington College of Law for the last 25 years, Raskin has previously taught at Yale Law School, mentored thousands of students, and authored several books and articles.
Raskin is the Democratic nominee to represent Maryland’s 8th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, which is being vacated by incumbent Chris Van Hollen, who is running for U.S. Senate.
Raskin is a passionate champion of civil rights and civil liberties for all Americans. A proponent of the Maryland DREAM Act, he believes that comprehensive immigration reform must be a top priority to break the deadlock in Congress and the country. Also a strong supporter of nuclear non-proliferation, Raskin has voiced his support for the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which is designed to thwart the Iran’s nuclear ambitions. He believes that that Iran’s pathway for the future must include, “human rights, civil liberties, rule of law, and strong democracy.”
The event presented a unique opportunity for Iranian Americans in the Washington metropolitan area to engage and learn about the next member of Congress representing Maryland’s 8th Congressional District. Raskin’s campaign has been endorsed by IAPAC, the political action committee (PAC) associated with the Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA).
Following his speech, Raskin graciously answered questions from the assembled guests. Among the topics discussed were the Visa Waiver Program reforms passed into law last year, the state of partisanship in the American politics, and tax policy. He also spent a considerable amount of time speaking to guests one-on-one regarding current issues facing his district in Maryland and impacting the U.S.
Maryland elections will be held on Tuesday, November 8, 2016, and Maryland voters can locate a polling place here. You can view Raskin’s campaign website here.
